Flintshire and Wrexham councils defend commitment to care services after being put in 'League of Shame'

A “terrible ten” local authorities who pay the lowest care home fees in Wales have been named and shamed – including five of the six councils in North Wales.

According to industry champions Care Forum Wales (CFW), care homes are the victims of an untenable post code lottery which means they are paid wildly differing fees depending on which county they are in.

Flintshire and Wrexham were sixth and eighth in the list.

Flintshire Council agreed that social care funding in Wales and across the UK needs to be greatly increased and be sustained into the future.

But the authority defended its commitment to care services, especially during the pandemic.

Neil Ayling, Chief officer social Services said: "Flintshire County Council, alongside the five other north Wales local authorities, continues to work in partnership with care providers and Care Forum Wales to ensure the care fees reflect the cost of care whilst remaining within the Council’s budget.

“As a County Council we have provided intensive support to local care homes throughout the pandemic. We speak to care homes and other care providers daily, and respond with the help they need. We have provided staff to support care homes to help with staff shortages and have used our share of the £40 million Hardship Fund of Welsh Government to assist care home providers with a 10% uplift in care home fees, and with financial compensation for the costs of empty bed-spaces which homes have not been allowed to use due to the restrictions on home admissions.

“We have provided and distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the local care home and provider network and this has been well-received across the network. Our PPE store and distribution system is regarded as best practice nationally.

“We agree with the Care Forum that social care funding in Wales and across the UK needs to be greatly increased and be sustained into the future. Flintshire is a highly regarded provider of care services and this is recognised by Care Inspectorate Wales. We are also a direct provider of three homes, ones that are highly regarded and much in demand.”

CFW chair Mario Kreft MBE called on the new Welsh Government for a shake-up of the system with a new national fee structure that is fair to all.

Pendine Academy of Social Care. Mario Kreft MBE at the launch in Wrexham..

To illustrate the point, CFW published a “league of shame” highlighting the gap between the top and bottom local authorities.

The table had, said Mr Kreft, flagged up a real North South divide because five of the six local authorities in North Wales were in the bottom 10.

The only exception in North Wales was Conwy County Borough Council.

Mr Kreft said: “The current system is broken and not fit for purpose. The aim of the Cheapskate Awards is to highlight the really serious problems created by an iniquitous fee structure here in Wales.

“The statutory responsibilities the local authorities have are discharged in such a way that we have this post code lottery which has led to an unstable system.

“Some of these figures really amount to a kick in the teeth to dedicated people who have been showing tremendous courage as well as skill and kindness in the face of a frightening disease during this deadly global pandemic.

“The evidence uncovered by the Cheapskate Awards and previous surveys proves that social care is too important to be left to the vagaries of local political decision-making.

“For those who argue that it’s an issue for the national Government, the past 25 years have shown than when money has been available, local authorities have taken political decisions not to spend it on social care. As a result, they have unhinged social care sector provision, whether that’s care homes or domiciliary care.

“In contrast, the Welsh Government’s Covid funding for social care has been fantastic. It has ensured that care homes, even with drastically reduced occupancy, have not been forced to close.

“Twenty years ago in North Wales four of the local authorities were in the top quartile and the other two were just behind. Things have changed dramatically and the people of North Wales have lost out in a big way."

In response to the league, Cllr Joan Lowe, Wrexham Counci's Lead Member for Adult Health and Social Care, said: “Wrexham County Borough Council work with our partners in North Wales to set fee rates based on the North Wales Fee Methodology which is calculated with due regard to the costs of care within residential and nursing homes.”